Lived on-board Hadar

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Thursday, November 19, 2009

Biopsy Results

Keith got the results of his biopsy today. It appears he has xanthogranulomatous prostatitis with extra prostatic extension. If you want to know what that is google it, that's what the internet is for, lol. Basically it is a benign tumor. Anyway they hope to treat it with a further course of antibiotics, but if they don't work then it will be surgery, but that won't be till after Christmas, so we can both sit back and enjoy our Christmas now.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Foxton Top Lock to Foxton Bottom Lock.

Having spent yesterday tucked up inside Hadar, today we moved down Foxton Locks, 0.6 miles, 10 locks. It was such a beautiful morning, we could see for miles on the way down. The afternoon has been just as glorious, in the late Autumn sunshine. We along with the throng of visitors have made the most of the unseasonal weather, by being out of the boat until gone 4pm, when it began to get chilly. We chatted to people we already knew, and chatted to people who we will get to know over the winter, as we continue our coal run. It has been a wonderful day.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Winter Creeps In.

None of you could of failed to notice that Winter is creeping in, or should I say has come roaring in after last night's storms. We are sat above Foxton Locks and it was a wild night last night (No we were not having a party). The wind was howling and the rain lashed down most of the night, which meant we were rocking and rolling. But as the sun poked through this morning, it seemed like the worst of the weather was over. Ha ha ha how wrong was I, because it is blowing a hooley once more and chucking it down with rain mid way through Saturday afternoon.
With the Winter weather in mind, you may be thinking about lighting your fire. If we are unable to supply you with coal, due to your distance from the Leicester Section of the Grand Union Canal, why not consider a nice warming log fire. Contact Staffordshire Logs and have some warmth delivered to your door.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Welford Arm to Foxton, 8.4miles 1 lock.

We had a couple of nice day's down the Welford Arm. Tuesday we stopped on the water point and delivered 17 bags of House Coal to the Wharf Inn. As there were no moorings available afterwards, we moved further back down the arm near the Welford Marina Entrance and moored on the 48 hour moorings. After some lunch we walked back down the arm to the boat yard where we met up with Les and Neil who run the marina and yard. We wanted to enquire about dry docking Hadar for her next blacking in 2011.
Wednesday morning, I had a phone call enquiring about coal and would we be able to meet them at the water point, so we had to turn Hadar around at the winding hole and return to the water point, to unload another 11 bags for another customer, who was collecting by truck. it is all part of the service. After all that exercise Keith and I reckoned we deserved a pub lunch, so having spruced myself up a bit, we walked back to the Wharf Inn, where we enjoyed a fabulous lunch and pudding. Keith and I both had Chicken Tikka with rice and naan bread for our main meal. For pudding Keith had Bread and Butter Pudding with Custard and I had the Lemon Cheesecake with Ice Cream. It was all very scrummy. We then took a walk into Welford Village. The entertainment for the day was watching workmen take down the footbridge across the entrance to Welford Marina. We wonder now how long it will be, before a new one is put up?
This morning (Thursday), we woke to a beautiful morning after a night of heavy rain. We set off at 9am on a lovely morning cruise. On our jaunt we saw four Kingfishers, in all their splender. This time of the year they are so easy to spot. We also saw a couple of Heron's and Buzzards. The views across the valley were spectacular this morning. Our cruise ended at the top of Foxton Locks, where we will be moored for a couple of days. We got chatting to the new BW lock keeper and made him aware that we would be up and down the locks until the end of March, as we endeavour to sell coal to boaters, households and pubs along our stretch. Although on the 23rd November till the 18th December Foxton Locks will be shut for maintenance work. So our patch will be cut down for four weeks.

Monday, November 09, 2009

Foxton to Welford Junction.

We have arrived at Welford Junction. Before setting off from Foxton, we supplied Mo and Nessa (NB Balmaha) with some coal. Keith and I then enjoyed a lovely run up through Foxton locks and then on to Welford Junction. We had a misty start, but the sun came out after midday and has left us with a lovely Autumnal afternoon. There is no better way to spend the day. We also sold some coal along the way.

Saturday, November 07, 2009

Market Harborough to Foxton

We left Market Harborough yesterday morning (Friday), having said our goodbye's to everyone. Although we will be back there very shortly, because Keith has to go back to Kettering Hospital. We enjoyed a two hour cruise to Foxton, where we are now moored up for the weekend. On our run into Foxton we passed NB Balmaha. At the time there was no one on board, but later Mo and Nessa came and found us. We sat enjoying a cuppa in a rather warm and cosy boat. It was nice to catch up on their news. Keith regaled them with everything he had been through over the past few weeks. Mo wanted all the gory bits included LOL. Time certainly flew and it was then sadly time for them to head back to their boat. We always enjoy chatting to Mo and Nessa. It is amazing how much we chat about when we meet up and it is not all boating stuff.

We woke this morning to a heavy frost. With the sun out it is now fabulous outside. We have been out and dropped off coal fliers to boaters and chatted to people along the way. We will have to wait and see if we get any requests for coal etc. The winter coal prices have now kicked in as has the cold weather, so I have my fingers crossed for a good run over the winter.

Our coal prices for this winter are as follows.
Taybrite 25kg £9.50
Pureglow 25kg £8.50
House Coal 25kg £7.00
Kindling (Large Bag) £4.00
Firelighters £1/£2
Toilet Blue 4 ltr £9.50

Thursday, November 05, 2009

Coal delivery

Keith came home on Monday which was absolutely fantastic. After a train and a couple of taxi's we were safely back on the boat, where Keith received a very excited welcome from Paddy. Marmite was much more laid back, managing a yawn and a meow at the same time. Keith is feeling much better, but is still on antibiotics and pain killers, until we see the consultant in his clinic, where we will get the results of the biopsy taken, this should happen in around two weeks.
Keith has been taking it easy since coming home. I am making sure he does not overdo things, as I do not want him back in hospital again. The one good thing about having him home, is the fact that I have been getting some sleep. It is so wonderful to have him home.


This morning we took on a delivery of coal from W.G Hill Coal Merchants. Tom owns and runs the pair of historic working boats Archimedes and Ara down in London, where he sells coal, diesel etc. Whilst Chris and Tom, unloaded the lorry. I stacked the 25kg bags of coal in the hold. Keith was in charge of taking the photographs. This time we have also taken on some Toilet Blue, increasing the list of things we sell, which include, Smokeless fuels, House coal, Kindling, Firelights and now Toilet Blue. We are limited to how much we can take on. This delivery has bought us back up to 7 tonne. Hadar is sitting down nicely now. We hope to move off tomorrow for a few days. Our only worry now is that we can actually move, because the water level is well down at the moment and has been for the past couple of weeks. We will find out tomorrow if we are going to be going anywhere LOL. We will have to be back at Market Harborough, to get to Keith's hospital appointment, but there seems no point in us just sitting here for the next two weeks. We just as well go off and deliver coal.